Lawmakers return to Springfield amid protest, talk of cuts

June 24, 2009|By Ray Long and Monique Garcia, Tribune reporters and Tribune reporters Rick Pearson and Dan P. Blake contributed to this report.

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday tried to build support for an income tax increase, getting lawmakers to the Capitol where they faced both his threats that he would gut social services and a sea of protesters turning up the pressure to prevent those cuts.

But legislators showed few signs of cracking, even as Quinn suggested a tax-hike vote to avoid major cuts could come next week.

The governor, who estimates the budget deficit at $9 billion, emerged from a meeting with the four legislative leaders and outlined some ways to fill the gap. They include raising the income tax, borrowing to help make state worker pension payments, cutting more programs and asking the federal government for more money. "We're inching toward a balanced budget," said Quinn, though the federal help and tax hike remain long shots.

The governor now wants to raise the income tax rate on individuals by 50 percent, but is open to reducing the size of the tax increase for businesses by an unspecified amount in hopes of attracting some Republican votes.

House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) said Quinn's offer to scale back the tax hike on corporations is a positive development but insisted a broad set of government reforms is needed.

After a meeting with Quinn, Democratic Rep. Art Turner of Chicago estimated that only 45 House Democrats are prepared to support a tax increase that needs 71 votes to pass after lawmakers blew their May 31 deadline to approve a fully funded budget.

Quinn's meetings came after a Statehouse rally that drew more than 5,000 protesters, the Illinois secretary of state's office said. The Service Employees International Union, which represents many of the workers who could be laid off, brought down many in the crowd that pushed for a tax hike to avoid cuts to services for the poor.

Also Tuesday, Cook County Public Guardian Robert Harris sued to try to prevent cuts to programs the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services offers to troubled children under state care.

On another front, Comptroller Dan Hynes said Quinn is promoting a "false choice" of raising taxes or cutting social services. Hynes suggested a two-month spending plan to buy time to slash contracts and impose a 5 percent cut in agency operations and grants and generate more revenue through expanded gambling and taxes.